A frustrated state senator accused a Louisiana House committee chairman Monday of stalling a bill relating to Governor’s Office records.

Senate Bill 278 by Sen. Jody Amedee, D-Gonzales, was approved by the state Senate on May 20. It was referred to the House and Governmental Affairs Committee on May 26.

But the committee has yet to act on the bill, Amedee said.

SB278 would open certain Governor’s Office records to public inspection. But the bill would continue to keep confidential records that deal with how the governor makes decisions.

Gov. Bobby Jindal, who supports SB278, has successfully opposed other legislation that would remove the blanket public records exemption for the Governor’s Office.

Amedee said the House committee chairman, Rep. Rick Gallot, D-Ruston, told him the committee was not hearing his bill’s “subject matter” until next week. SB278 is on the committee’s June 16 agenda.

“Next week, it will be 27 days from this mic for the committee to report,” Amedee said on the Senate floor. “That’s not how the process is supposed to work.”

“I told you so,” state Sen. Robert Adley, R-Benton, yelled at Amedee from his desk.

Adley was one of four senators to vote against passage of the bill. At the time, he said the legislation would continue huge transparency exceptions not tolerated anywhere else under state public record’s law.

Gallot said he told Amedee last week that the bill would be scheduled for June 16. Amedee said he thought it would be heard today.

“I’m not trying to kill Jody’s bill,” Gallot said. “That’s a bill I want to pass.”